[A case of cervical liquorrhea with headache in and around the area of the great occipital nerve].

We report a 44-year-old man who had sudden-onset severe pain with ardor at the left occipital and nuchal region without trauma in July, 1992. Severe pain disappeared soon after, but dull pain continued intermittently. Four months later, he was referred to our hospital. Neurological examination showed no abnormalities. Cervical CT scan and myelography disclosed liquorrhea. Digital subtraction myelography confirmed cerebrospinal fluid leakage from the level of C1/2 disc. He underwent laminectomy of C1 and C2, and dural plasty on April 6, 1993 with subsequent disappearance of headache. We suppose that this headache was due to rupture of the root sleeve and compression to the root and dorsal root ganglia by outflowed liquor.